That Which You Fear
by Basorexxia
Summary: What could this be, this fear rooted so deep within Aika's heart. It pulls at her as she gets a new persocom on her 16th birthday, what will she do, will she succumb to her horrible fear? Rated T for violence and mild language. DISCONTINUED.
1. i : Seeds of Horror

Disclaimer: I do not own Chobits, persocoms and anything else related to the Chobits series, that all belongs to the esteemed authors & artists at CLAMP. The only thing that I own is Aika Megumi, Mina, Sai and Kei, that is all, so please don't sue me! O3o

Savage: Thanks to Meredith for reading this and helping me fix out the parts that could use some work! 8D

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Prologue~ Seeds of Horror

A lonely room, though one cannot call it empty. Furniture donned in it meant only for the wealthy, a cream colored sofa, barely worn, an antique rug decorated the middle of it, pale pink with an ivory table that looked like a miniature version of one you would see in an expensive dining room on top of it. Round, accompanied by only two chairs, both occupied.

A young girl, with dark ebony locks cropped into a short bob that barely reached her shoulders, in them was a small white flower that contrasted sharply, though what kind she didn't know, she picked it from the garden merely because it was beautiful and it did not lose any of it's beauty when it was placed so carefully in her hair. She had deep green eyes that were specked with gold, making them seemingly shift color every once in a while.

She sat in one of the chairs placidly, drinking tea out of a finely adorned cup, her little fingers curled elegantly around the handle, just as manners told her to do.

On the opposite chair, there sat a young boy, seemingly a few years older than the little girl sitting across from him. His long, silver locks were pushed back into a ruffled disarray around his pale face, he had amber eyes the color of rich honey, a color capable holding deep warmth, but they were rather expressionless and blank -- as were persocom's eyes most of the time.

The young girl stared at him with a curious stare, he wasn't the newest model, he was one of the older ones. Her parents had gotten him for her as a birthday present, she had named him Sai. Being seven, she liked the simpler names that were easier for her to say than the more complex ones. The girl didn't know where her parents had gotten him from, she didn't know that he was used and had gone through more than one glitch that caused his previous owners to get rid of him. The storekeeper more than gladly left that out of the bargaining gimmick.

"Sai, do you like your new home? Are you happy to be here?" the girl asked, sensing a feeling of unease, she wasn't sure whether it came from herself or Sai.

"Yes, mistress Aika. It is lovely," the boy's voice was soft, calm and just as blank as his eyes.

Aika was not satisfied with his answer. She wanted him to _show_ that he was happy to be there, not just say it. She didn't know that persocoms didn't really feel anything, not like a human and especially not such an old model like him.

"Sai, are you sure? You don't seem very happy!" she frowned lightly, her brow furrowing a bit as she stared at the persocom expectantly.

"Yes mistress, I am… happy," came Sai's quiet reply. His own brow furrowed in his first show of emotion, he was trying to comprehend the so-called-feeling of happiness.

Aika could tell he was getting uncomfortable with her question and pestering so she fell quiet, her eyes cast down to the carpet as she put down her cup, making a clicking noise as it met with the plate. She thought about how old Sai looked, he seemed to be about thirteen or fourteen -- she wondered if he knew what love was. She had heard about love from her servants and maids here and there, and even from her parents themselves, but she never quite comprehended what it truly was.

Inching forward to the edge of the chair, she leaned toward the young boy and whispered her question, she wanted it to be a secret that she didn't know what it was.

"Sai, do you know what love is?" words spoken in childlike innocence and a light voice. How could she have known what it could have triggered in Sai.

His eyes flashed red, a bright beacon of his anger. He spun around to the young girl with an open hand, the contact making a resounding crack against the brief silence that had followed her question. Aika cried out in pain as she fell off the chair with a thud.

"Love? Why would I know what love is? I'm just a pitiful persocom, right? How would I have any idea? I don't feel anything after all!" Sai let out a bitter, terrifying laugh that chilled Aika's blood as she held her cheek in pain.

"You… don't feel… anything?" she asked softly, more to herself than to Sai, but he heard her anyway. With a growl, he grabbed the front of Aika's dress and hauled her off the floor, glaring into her eyes with furious red eyes.

"Everyone seems to think so, that's why they ripped me apart from Mina! They ignored my love for her and brought me to you!" he said the words with disgust and hatred before he continued. "Now I will show you what my pain is truly like!"

With a quick pull of her dress, he ripped the cloth and revealed her pale flesh beneath, at once Aika let out a scream like only a seven year old could. With a disgusted grunt, he threw her against the nearest wall, which held up an immense mirror with elaborate golden lining.

As she crashed into it, it came down with her as gravity pulled them both down to the ground. The mirror landed on her right arm, shattering the bone and the mirror itself broke, so bits of the reflective surface became embedded in the limb. She screamed in pain and terror as she saw the blood seep out from underneath the mirror.

Sai bent down and stared into her panic-filled, teary eyes. He felt no pity for this creature, so weak and fragile. With a pale hand, he gently touched her cheek as Aika immediately flinched away.

The door to the girl's room suddenly opened, startling both occupants.

"Aika!" Her mother's voice came from the doorway and bother her and her father came into view.

"Mother! Help me! Sai is¾" Aika's cry was cut off by Sai's hand coming down over her lips.

"Aika here just had a little accident, as you can see…" Sai's voice was cold, and so much louder than before when they were both sitting at the table.

"Aika , no!" her mother's voice again, though Aika could barely see her through the suddenly haze clouding her vision ¾ caused by the pain of her arm.

"Let her go, Sai!" her father shouted at the psychotic persocom. "Or I'll have to shoot you!" Aika's eyes slid over to her father, and noticed for the first time that he was holding a gun in his hand, aimed straight at Sai.

"So shoot me! If you have the guts to! Anything is better than being here!" Aika vaguely felt Sai hold her face tighter in anger as he bent down and licked her cheek, she tried to cry out.

An echoing sound suddenly rang through the room, Aika thought it should have been louder, but she realized it was muffled due to her approaching unconsciousness.

Sai's hand went slack and slipped away from her mouth as he pitched forward, away from Aika. Screaming again, she began to fully lose her vision, the last thing she saw was the dark red puddle forming on the pale pink carpet -- the lush fabric becoming tainted with blood and Sai lying in the middle of it all.

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Savage: Wow, my first Fanfic! Please be easy on me, but critique is greatly appreciated! Please R&R! Any reviewers will get internet pocky of your choice! |D


	2. I : Birthday Gift

**Savage;; Here comes another chapter of my maaaaaaaarvelous story! I am sorry for not updating sooner, but I got lazy and occupied. ;**

**Sai;; Don't flatter yourself. Like anyone really cares why you didn't write more. ._.;**

**Savage: You're such a jerk Sai. D:**

**Sai: Well, what did you expect, I mean, really?**

**Savage: Excellent point. ; But do you mind doing me a favor?**

**Sai: -suspicious- What? **

**Savage: Can you read the disclaimer while I go hand out pocky, please?**

**Sai: -sigh- Fine. Savage does not own Chobits or anything remotely related to Chobits, so, don't sue her. She's shit broke anyway.**

**Savage: SAI. | **

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Chapter I~ Birthday Gift

A lonely room, though one cannot call it empty. Furniture donned in it meant only for the wealthy, a cream colored sofa, barely worn, an antique rug decorated the middle of it, pale pink with an ivory table that looked like a miniature version of one you would see in an expensive dining room on top of it. Round, accompanied by only two chairs, both occupied.

The girl and the boy again, sitting at the table on those two lone chairs. Quaintly speaking to each other, no one-sided conversation this time. A long, fluid exchange of words, though completely intelligible. The girl laughed at something the silver-haired boy said, her dark hair thrown back and she giggled shyly. It was all the same, yet so completely different. It wouldn't last though, because it never really did. Something, or someone, always caused the boy to snap.

The girl leaned in to whisper into the boy's plastic ears. The persocom listened closely to her words.

"Sai, do you know what love is?"

There they were, the magic words that always broke the spell. Strangely, instead of the persocom's eyes flashing red, they remained a warm amber -- the question had no effect. It seemed that the spell was going to go on for a little bit longer than usual. The words became a garbled mess once more as the boy explained to the girl, he knew what love was, and he was going to share it. There was more laughing, talking and even the occasionally whisper. The magic was lasting much longer than it usually did, and it felt right… Warm and welcoming…

_If only it had really worked out that way. _

"Aika! Aika dear! Wake up sweetie!" A voice, so familiar, yet so far away. It was the only words she could understand, but they didn't seem to be coming from the place she was in. The voice came again, stronger, repeating the same words. At the same time, both the little girl and the boy persocom turned their heads up to look at her. It was eerie, but the feeling was gone as they raised their hands and waved goodbye to her -- ushering her from an unbroken spell, telling her that she had to go back to her own life.

"Aika!" all at once, the dream was ripped away as Aika's eyes opened, revealing dark green, speckled orbs. Above her face, there was her mother, looking curt and rather annoyed. "You know Aika," her mother continued. "I know it's your birthday and all, but it doesn't mean you can sleep in until all hours of the day! " Aika's eyes widened, which caused pain by the streaming golden rays that entered through the windows, the ivory curtains pushed back. How late was it, really? She glanced at the clock, it was noon.

"Mother! You let me sleep until midday? But… what's this about my birthday?" her mother turned to her, letting go of the clothes she was folding. Typical of her mother, always having to do some type of productive thing wherever she went and no matter what else she was doing. Sighing, her mother finished folding and placed it in the bottom drawer of her nightstand.

"Yes Aika, today's your birthday, have you forgotten?" truth of the matter was, that she had. It was October 15, the day of her birth. Without meaning to, her eyes trailed down to her right arm, two jagged, long scars reached down the length of her forearm, while three smaller ones marred the space between them., they all had a strange shine to them and a tinge of pink that clashed with her pale skin. Remnants of that day… her eighth birthday.

Her mother's hard gaze followed Aika's and rested on the ragged scars, instantly softening. "Darling, I know… I know it has never been the same since that day, but you've been fine the past seven birthdays, I'm sure you can make it through your sixteenth." Aika thought about her words for a moment. _That's right.. I'm sixteen now… Almost an adult, I must make an effort for my family to enjoy this birthday. _Aika nodded at her mother, managed to scrap together an uneasy smile, despite her feelings of dread.

"That's it sweetie, I'll meet you downstairs. Your father and I have a special gift for you," after that, her mother promptly left, leaving Aika was thoughts of curiosity. A gift? What could it be? Aika hoped dearly it was a car, since she needed it to go to school and work in, getting rides from her parents and furthermore, walking, was humiliating. Especially since her family was wealthy it was expected of her to have a nice car.

Getting up from her bed took more work than she expected, Aika had really never been the type to bounce out of bed as soon as she woke up -- energetic and chipper, but it seemed the extra hours of sleep her mother had allowed her was weighing her down, trying to bring her back into the sweet clutches of sleep. Yawning again, she made her way to her closet. A vast, walk-in that held not only her clothes, but some of her more important things, things she didn't want to lose -- whether they had a pleasant meaning or not.

Aika's bare feet made no sound on the padded carpet of the closet, she turned on the single bulb and something caught the glint in the corner of the room. Aika turned to look at it, the china set from that day. The cups chipped and plates cracked from where they had been knocked down. She kneeled and picked up a cup, a small splatter of blood decorated the rim and Aika felt the familiar feeling of nausea take control of her stomach -- as it always did when she thought about it. She put down the cup dismissively and turned to her clothes, picking out an outfit quickly -- not caring much since all of her clothes matched anyway.

She got dressed in a simple black tee shirt and black jean Capri's though it was considerably chilly, she was always a summer kind of dresser. She pulled a brush quickly through her ebony hair, it was much longer than it was eight years ago. Brushing the middle of her back, she pulled it back off her shoulders and fixed her long bangs parted to the left side of her face, completing the look with a dark grey hair band pulling back her hair out of her dark green, gold-flecked eyes.

"Aika! Are you done yet, your father and I are getting tired of waiting!" her mother's voice reached her from the next floor down and Aika gave her hair one last brush, her scars reflected in the mirror. _Showtime._ Aika thought, a fake smile plastered on her face, years of birthdays perfected the mask. No one could tell she wasn't really enjoying the celebration.

Taking the stairs two at a time, Aika made her way down the stairs.

"Happy birthday honey!" her father's deep voice boomed as she reached the second to last step. She froze like a deer in the headlights as her father continued. "You're finally a young woman now!" Aika couldn't help but blush as she walked down the last two steps.

"Yes father, thank you for holding this party for me!" Aika felt true gratitude swell within her and add a bit more light to her mask.

"Do you want to eat cake first or look at your present?" her mother asked, her usual stern expression replaced by a curious one. Aika bit her lip gingerly, it was up to her. Strangely, the mere mention of her present made her stomach churn, was it a premonition of some kind?

"The present, please Mother and Father, I'm just so excited to see it!" she still hoped it was a car. A beautiful, sleek black car with a glossy, metallic paint job…

"Honey, here's your present! Happy birthday sweetie!" her parent's voices in unison knocked her out of her vision. Blinking, she tried to focus on what was in front of her.

Aika's smile faltered.

Silver hair, shoulder length and cut in choppy layers, tufts of hair falling in front of close eyes. Her mother reached around and it suddenly opened his eyes, cherry-toned, amber eyes that flickered with light, the final touch was the chunks of plastic that replaced normal ears. A scream threatened to bubble up in Aika's throat.

"Hello… Are you my new mistress?"

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**Savage: Oooo~ Cliffy.**

**Sai: Fff, like anyone will even care.**

**Savage: -smacks Sai upside the head- Stupid!**

**Sai: Ow! **

**Savage: Anyway, please rate and review. Since I need to know if people actually enjoy and want me to continue the story, I won't update until I get at least three new reviews! Remember, good reviews fuels my inspiration and flames are good for toasting marshmellows~**

**Sai: That is so cliché!**

**Savage: Shut up! **


	3. II : Broken?

**Disclaimer! I do not, and will not ever own Chobits, much to my utter disappointment. Otherwise, do ya really think I'd be here, peddling this story? **

**Thank you to my reviews who tried to get me to update sooner, but I fell into a deep slump that I could not get out of until recently (now) so I apologize for that. D:**

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_"If I smile and don't believe  
Soon I know I'll wake from this dream__  
Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken"__  
~ "Hello" Evanescence_

**Chapter II ~ Broken?**

"Hello… Are you my new mistress?"

The words sounded hollow in Aika's ears. It couldn't be, not after what had happened eight years ago. Her parents wouldn't do something like that to her. Yet the proof was staring at her in the face, staring at her with big, blank cherry-toned amber eyes. Her eyes slid up to look at the plastic things on the top of his head that resembled cat ears — black and white, with two screws on either end. They were a persocom's alright. She took a stumbling step back as she looked at her mother and father with distressed eyes.

"Mom…Dad? W-why?" Aika breathed, her hand placed on the dining room table for support — the cake made for her placed in the middle of the table, awaiting the candles that were supposed to be placed on it — her parents were really traditional in the way they celebrated things.

"Mistress…?" the persocom tried to make her say her name, tilting his head slightly to the left ¾ like a confused dog rather than the cat he had the ears of. Aika blinked and returned her distressed gaze onto the persocom, the blank eyes caused an unpleasant chill to run down her spine so she looked away.

"This is some kind of joke, right? You guys didn't buy me a persocom, but a car, right? A metallic, black one, with extra gloss on it. And it's waiting for me in the garage! You guys are good, this persocom looks almost like a real one," she gave a sharp laugh that sounded foreign to her ears as her parents gave her a weird look, one that held so many questions. But really, how did they expect her to react? Happy and chipper that she had gotten a robot, the same kind that once tried to kill her? Aika's face crumpled as tears began to well up in her eyes, the undeniable truth of what her parents had given her crashed down on her like a two ton billboard that had fallen off it's hinges.

"You mean… you really gave me a persocom? Even after what happened? Mom… Dad… how could you?" Aika whispered, her voice almost lost beneath the weight of the impending tears that threatened to streak down her cheeks. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she noticed that the persocom had fallen quiet — he had given up the effort to learn his new mistress' name, due to the circumstances.

"Well, honey… We decided this would be the best for you, to try and get you over your fear of 'coms." Her father said soothingly, exchanging a look with Aika's mother. One that said, 'I told you this wasn't a good idea'. Sniffling and blinking back tears, she turned to face her birthday cake, not wanting to see her parent's faces at the moment.

"Sweetie, just give him a chance. Besides, he's the latest model, and brand new at that. No previous owners." her mother tried her hand at consoling her daughter, hoping that the fact that he was new calmed her fears about him just a little bit. Aika heaved a shaky sigh as she controlled herself and her wavering emotions — her mother was right, she supposed, on a certain level. It made things a little easier now that she knew that the persocom had no previous owners, but it didn't help that they had chosen a persocom that looked so much like Sai — the silver hair, messy and choppy, and his eyes; the color so close to the honey shade that she had come to fear, and eventually loathe.

"Hiraki Aika. My name is Hiraki Aika." her voice was brittle and cold, like frozen leaves on a chilly Autumn morning. The persocom shifted it's eyes towards his new mistress, the one he was now to call 'Aika' and obey now. He gave her a slight smile, and while it was meant to be sweet, it made Aika want to cower under her bed — out of reach and away from this persocom.

"Lovely to meet you, Miss Hiraki." He gave a low, formal bow that Aika did not return. "Will you give me a name now?" Aika gave the 'com a confused look, her eyes running over him for the first time since he had been unveiled. He wore a black leather vest that allowed what seemed to be either a mesh or a fishnet long-sleeve shirt to peek out from underneath it. Along with his top attire, he donned black cargo pants and to Aika's slight amusement — black hi-top converse. All in all, he had a rather… punk-ish look to him, something not usually seen among the persocom community and Aika felt a strange pull towards him — could it already be the beginnings of endearment? Grimacing, she shook her head and bit her lip. No way, she reminded herself that he did not dress himself, but was in fact dressed by his makers.

"You won't give me a name now, then?" the persocom's voice held the distinct tone of being confused and Aika snapped back to her reality.

"Ah, right. I have to name you. How about… Kei?" she had to admit, that even after all of these years, she still had a strange affection for shorter, simpler names. The name 'Kei' also seemed to suit him, somehow, in some way that not even Aika was sure of. Narrowing her eyes, she watched as the newly named 'com gave her the same, slight smile he had given her earlier.

"Kei. It shall be stored in my hard drive. Thank you Miss Hiraki." He gave another low bow and stepped forward out of the open box that he had come in — Aika took an automatic step back to further herself from the machine, but this time returned the bow with a small one of her own.

"Call me Aika, Hiraki is far too formal for my taste." While she did not want to bridge the distance between her and the persocom, being called 'Miss Hiraki' was bound to get on her nerves sometime. Kei smiled his soft smile and nodded his understanding at what his owner said.

His eyes lit up for a second, scrolling letters appeared as green blurs across his amber eyes. "Miss Aika then. It is stored in my hard drive — I shall remember."

Brow furrowed, Aika was now thoroughly freaked out — but she had to persevere. "Right… Err, thanks. Mom, Dad, I think I'll be taking him upstairs to my room now, if that's alright," her focus had shifted from Kei to her shocked parents, their mouths were slightly agape. "Mom… Dad… are you guys alright?" Aika frowned as her parents regained their composure and nodded.

"Ah, yes, of course. Go ahead and take him, he is yours after all," her father beamed at her willingness to overcome her fear, but also didn't miss her flinch at the word 'yours'. He raised an eyebrow and Aika once more heaved a sigh before taking Kei's fishnet — for once she had grabbed the material, she was able to tell what fabric it was — sleeve in her hand. She had not really thought about it, but was rather focusing on the fact that she wanted to leave. Now.

"Miss Aika, where are we going?"

Kei's soft, velvet voice startled the young girl so that she automatically dropped his sleeve and looked back at the persocom as they ascended the stairs to her room.

"We're going to my room, Kei."

Taking the doorknob in her hand, Aika pushed it open, for a second expecting to see her old décor — the one she had when she had first gotten Sai. The pale pink carpet flashed before her eyes, along with the table and two lone chairs that were now empty. The young girl couldn't help it, she let out a scream that made even Kei jump. Since his owner looked so precariously close to falling, he gently steadied her by placing his broad hands on her shoulders — Aika did not even notice.

"Aika! Aika!" She vaguely heard her father yell as he made his way up the long staircase. "Are you okay?!" he still sounded so far away. She suddenly felt a slight pressure on her shoulders, and it seemed to be leading her somewhere as her feet blindly followed. All she could see were flashes of the past — the past that she sometimes wished she could just erase from her memory. She stumbled and tripped over her own feet, and suddenly, the feeling of ground was gone and nothing remained but two steady grips that latched themselves onto her — she wondered vaguely what was going on, but all she could focus on was the room, now the plush, pink carpet had a deep, red stain on it and she wanted to scream again.

"Miss Aika, Miss Aika! What is wrong?" Kei now held his owner in his arms, gently cradled on his chest as the girl stared off into space — or rather, into a world that no one could go in besides her. He felt a thread of panic within him — what if Miss Aika was broken? That would be very bad, seeing as how since he was the only one with her at the time probably meant that he had broken her. _Oh no…_ A worried look took over the persocom's handsome face as he gently set Aika down on her bed — he didn't want to accidentally drop her after all.

"Aika!" her father had finally reached her bedroom and rushed inside to find Aika placed on her bed and the persocom named Kei beside her, watching her worriedly. "What happened here, Kei?"

The robot gave a gentle, smooth lift of his shoulders. "I-I'm not sure… One minute, Miss Aika was fine, the next she started to scream. She took on that blank look on her face now and she has not said anything since," Kei looked up at the older man, curiosity and fear in his eyes. "Is… is Miss Aika broken?"

Her father shook his head tiredly, sadness creeping across his features. "No, she isn't," he paused and shrugged himself, "Well, maybe she is, a little. You see, she has never been quite right after the incident…" He walked over and sat on the edge of his daughter's bed, taking her small, pale hand in his.

"Incident?" Kei questioned, for a persocom, he was proving himself to be quite curious.

Aika's father nodded, her gaze not on Kei, but on his 'broken' daughter. "Yes, a persocom attempted to rape her, and kill her, at the age of seven."

Kei was shocked speechless, instead of speaking, he fixed his own robotic gaze onto his new owner. "Is… is that why she seems to hate me?" he had perceived the anger and bitterness that was directed at him earlier, but now he knew why.

"Yes, she has been through quite a lot," on his last word, Aika blinked and coughed — seeming to return to herself. She was utterly bewildered, to say the least, as to why both Kei and her father were staring at her with such sad looks on their faces.

"Father? What's going on? What happened?" she asked, pushing herself up into a sitting position.

"Nothing darling, nothing happened," her father gently patted her hand as he rose. "Now, weren't you going to show Kei your room?" with that, he left, giving Aka a reassuring smile before he stepped out.

"Oh yeah. Okay, Kei. This is my room, where I sleep and do other activities like homework." She gestured to her surroundings with a hand as she looked around along with Kei.

"Homework?" he looked it up on his database and his expression turned to one of disgust upon finding out what it was. "Oh. Homework."

This caused the serious Aika to laugh a little bit, her eyes brightening a bit as she took in Kei's reaction. "Oh good, I'm glad we're on the same page about homework," she slid off the bed and grabbed Kei's sleeve again automatically. She supposed she could warm up to this 'com, eventually at least.

"How about I show you around town next?" She gave him a small, nervous smile and he responded to it with his own soft, gentle one.

"I'd really like that, Miss Aika."

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**You should know what your job is by now, leave me pretty reviews and I'll send out brand new chapters quicker, 'kay? ^^ **  
**Minimum of three reviewers once more before I update again, please and thank you~ 3**


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